Musical string



May 6, 1941. E. WACKERLE MUSICAL STRING Filed Feb. 18, 1939 INVENTOR.

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AZZOTzWqy Patented May a, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE IUSICAL sumoma sum wuss-lo. cum, 111. am February is. ms, Serial No. we

(CI. ss-ss'l) Claims.

My invention relatu to improvements in musical instrument strings andmethod of making these strings. Y

Heretofore. musical strings have been formed by applying a metalwrapping on gut cores but. however, the extreme elasticity ofgut permitsan elongation thereof when tuning the strings. which results in areduction in the diameter thereoi',causingthemetalwrappingtobeeome looseupon the core. This loosening of the metal wrapping results in a rattleor false tones during the use thereof.

Another type of musical string is formedhavingametalcoreuponwhichalayerofsilkor someothersoftsuhstanceiswrappedanda second wr pping of metal wire being placed over the silk. Thebending or wrapping ofa metal wirearoundasoftcushioncauaesanunevensurface along the periphery of the compositestringandasthewindingproceeds,owingto the compressing action of theouter. wrapping upon the cushion filler. a false string is produced.Further, in due time. the cushion loses its springy action and a gradualloosening of the metal wrapping relative to the cushion and coreresults.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide a musicalstring which overcomes the drawbacks heretobefore produced in compositestrings and, at the same time, produces a string which will itselfproduce true tones.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an exceedinglysimple and emcient means for producing the musical strings.

Further objects of the present invention will be in part obvious and inpart pointed out in the following detailed description.

In the drawing:

Fig. l is a side view of a musical string according to the presentinvention and showing the successive layers thereof.

Fig. 2 is a side view of a modified form of musical string whichproduces a .sharper tone than the string of Pig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a side view showing a third modification of the musical stringproduced according to the present invention, and

Pig. 4 is a diagrammatic view of the apparatus used in producing musicalstrings.

Referring now more particularly to the accomplaced side-by-side. Overthis wrapping of fiber and metal cores is placed a phenolic resin suchas Bakelite. catalin, or the like, which resin is permitted toimpregnate the fiber wrapping I completely down to core I and, at thesame time. is heat cured, causing the same to set and thereby retainingfibers 2 and core 6 permanently upon core i. A metal strip or wire 4 iswrapped upon the peripheral surface of the heat-cured resin 1 andcemented thereto.

Fig. 2 discloses the members forming a modified form of musical string,which is of a lighter construction for producing a string having asharper tone than the string shown in Fig. l but not quite as sharp as ametallic string. This string comprises a metallic core II directly towhich is applied a phenolic resin 22 which is heat cured thereon andwhich completely encompasses the same. Over this cured resin is wrappeda metallic hand N. which hand is cemented directly to the resin 22 forensuring permanent adherence thereto.

A third modification of the musical string according to the presentinvention is disclosed in Pig. 8 of the drawing, wherein a metal coreIII isencasedinawrappingofwireiplacedtherearound, which wire 8 iscompletely covered by an enamel 222 and which separates the wire I fromthe core III and also from a coating of phenolic resin I, which ispositioned therearound and completely fills all of the voids. This resinI is heat cured and thereby caused to set for firmly maintaining itselfand enameled wire I in position upon core I'll. A metal wrapping l isapplied around said plastic "3 in successive convolutions and cementedthereto.

In order to produce any of the foregoin strings. "the phenolic plasticresin I, 22 and 388 must-be ted in order to cause the same to set and anon-cushioning casing. Each of these .musical strings is formed byattaching both en'dsof thecore wires I, II or III toow site windingheads of the winding machine. The core is thereby rotated and in thecase of the strings shown in Figs. 1 and 3, covered wire i is wrappedthereon as the core is rotated. After the filling formed by wire i iscompletely positioned, the phenolic resin 3, 3", or in the case of thestring of Fig. 2, the resin if is applied over the core and itswrapping. The resin completely impregnates the fibers in the case of thestring of Fig. 1 down to the core I and in the case of the wire of Fig.3, it completely fills all voids and spaces provided by the enameledwire I. Said winding heads are each connected within an electricalcircuit and in which circuit a transformer or the like is provided forcontrolling the amount of current supplied to the winding heads. Themetallic core extending from these heads completes the circuit byjoining one head to the other and current is thereby caused to passthrough the core which will set up a resistance thereto and becomeheated. The heated core will in turn heat the phenolic resin, causingthe same to harden and set. The phenolic resin having electricalinsulating qualities, the metal wrapping I, 44 or 4 can be appliedbefore the resin is cured, thereby assuring a complete and permanentattachment of one element of a musical string to the others.

The foregoing invention is capable of considerable modification and anymodifications thereof which come within the scope 01' my claims, I deemto be a part oi my invention.

I claim: H

l. A musical string comprising a metallic core, a heat-curing phenolicplastic encasing and connected directly to said core, a metal wrappingwound upon and connected to said plastic and 25 said plasticelectrically insulating said metal wrapping from said metal core.

2. A musical string comprising a metallic core, an insulated wirespirally wound upon said core, a phenolic plastic encasing said spirallywound wire and extruding through th convolution: thereof, the extrudedportions of said phenolic plastic adhering directly to said metalliccore, a metallic wrapping encaslng said phenolic plastic and connectedthereto and said phenolic plastic electrically insulating said metallicwrapping from said metallic core.

3. A composite musical string comprising a steel core, a fabric coveredwire spirally wound upon said steel core and forming spaces between therovings thereof, a heat-curing phenolic plastic covering said fabriccovered wire and extending through the spaces formed between the rovingsthereof, said plastic adhering to said steel core and connecting saidfabric covered wire thereto, a metal wrapping spirally arranged uponsaid plastic and adhering thereto and said plastic electricallyinsulating said metallic wrapping from said steel core.

LEWIS EDWARD WACKERLE.

